


Long Story

by Kimmy



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Demons, F/M, Family, Fluff, Future Fic, How Do I Tag, M/M, Plot, Runes, Story within a Story, Warlock Marks (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Warlocks, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-09 06:13:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10405740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimmy/pseuds/Kimmy
Summary: 20 years later, Rafael Lightwood-Bane tells his family a story about how his parents got married in gold.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mortall Warlock](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mortall+Warlock).



> Little details - Max is alive but Max Lightwood-Bane is still called Max so there's Max and Max 2.0. It was just as confusing to write.  
> And yes, Rafe's wife is totally inpired by Shelby in the new You Tube Red series that premieres TODAY!!! We're gonna binge! <3  
> A gift fic for amazing @mortallwarlock on twitter. Check out their art!

It’s dark outside, the night dark already despite the relatively early hour, as it happens in winter, but they’re all sitting in the warmth of the living room, flooded with golden light from the countless candles Magnus likes to keep around. 

 

Clace and Sizzy, as Magnus calls them jokingly, have left already, and now it’s just Madzie and Max curled up in the armchair, Max 2.0 hiding under the table with Chairman Meow because apparently he will never be too old for that, and Rafael sitting cross legged on the floor, his wife Heidi next to him, their eyes focused on Magnus and Alec.

 

They are on sofa, both already alseep, snuggled together, and their faces are peaceful and relaxed, marred with wrinkles caused by years of smiling and frowning in worry.

 

Charlie comes out of the kitchen with a tray of tea for everone awake, smiling as she puts it down, proud of her work, and settles down in an armchair, looking over at her grandparents with a soft smile.

 

“Dad… How does Grandpa have runes if he’s a warlock?”

 

Rafel looks at his daughter before glancing at his parents and smiles softly.

 

Max 2.0 crawls from under the table to lay down on the carpet next to his brother.

 

“Tell them, Rafe. It’s a damn good story.”

 

“Language, Blueberry.” Madzie scolds him and Max 2.0 sends her a glare that makes her smirk, fully aware how much he hates it when the nickname comes from anyone but their parents.

 

Max looks at his namesake with amusement before turning to his other nephew. 

 

“Actually, I never really heard that story. I know it’s because Magnus has Angel blood, but nothing else.”

 

Rafael smiles then and his daughter making puppy eyes completes it.

  
“Okay. Let me tell you a story about a wedding of the century.” Heidi smiles at him, laying down with her head in his lap. “The Malec wedding.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Judging by the reaction of my darling beta Guardian_Rose, the cliffhanger seems to be working just fine. Enjoy, biscuits :*

Magnus couldn’t remember ever being so happy for so long.

 

The past four years had been the best of his life, filled with joy and happiness, and finally self-acceptance.

 

For the first time since.. forever, Magnus felt like he won over his inner demons.

 

He felt better than ever with himself.

 

Which was why he was so confused by the horrible recurring headaches, despite the fact Catarina looked him over and declared him completely fine.

 

It was annoying, especially since no pills or magic seemed to work, but not impossible to bear.

 

Especially considering the fact that Alec took to coddling him, and even Max, Rafe and Madzie drew him get well cards that took an honourable place on the mantelpiece. 

 

(Madzie was half hidden behind Alec as she gave him hers, Max was jumping up and down and trying to explain the drawings and Rafe just patiently waited till Magnus gave attention to his little masterpiece, which was indeed a masterpiece - he had no doubt Rafe would be an artist one day.)

 

The cards were cute. Being awoken in the middle of the night by Max crying was not.

 

The poor boy was coming into his magic now that he had had his ninth birthday and his horns were starting to grow too, which was painful and causing him terrible nightmares. 

 

Magnus’ heart was breaking for his tiny baby. Max might have been nine already but he was small, impossibly short and tiny for his age, still so easy to carry in their arms, still so light. And he would always be Magnus’ little boy, even if he finally started to get tall one day.

 

But despite Alec being a sweetheart about it and taking care of those nightly terrors, it was enough to get the headache going.

 

Magnus was starting to increasingly hate it.

 

***

 

Normally a noise in their bedroom during the night would have Magnus up and alert, ready to fight, but after weeks of being exhausted by battling the headaches all he could do was groan in annoyance and prepare for a small explosion in his head.

 

Which is why he was shocked when it didn’t come.

 

But before he could count his blessings, he faced even more of a shock in the picture that met him when he lifted himself up and opened his eyes.

 

Specifically, Alec stabbing some demon with a seraph blade. Still disbelieving, he wiped his eyes, looking at Alec, but when their eyes met the terrifying realisation hit, just how real what they had both just witnessed was.

 

What was the strangest part about it all though, was that the demon’s body, although clearly dead and unmoving, its blood seeping into the carpet, was not disappearing. 

 

But before they could worry about it, a cry pierced the air, signaling Max’s awakening. Alec turned to the door to get him, not even aware he was still holding the seraph blade, but Magnus was out of bed in an instant, stopping him.

 

“I’ll get him. You go clean yourself up.”

 

Alec looked down at himself, blushing as he realised he was covered in ichor.

 

“What about you your head?”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

He frowned at Magnus, disbelieving, but the warlock smiled at him reassuringly.

 

“It’s really fine. No headache. Go and clean the blood off so you can meet us in the living room, Alec.”

 

By some miracle, Max’ wails didn’t disturb Raphael who continued to sleep soundly, but Madzie was tucked into Magnus’ side, dozing off, Max in his arms, stifling his sobs in his papa's shoulder, when Alec entered the living room. 

 

He lifted Madzie up gently, taking her into his arms and lulling her to sleep and he could feel Magnus sending waves of gentle, warm calming magic into their children and in a few minutes, they were both kissing their foreheads as they lay them back in their beds, Raphael sleeping through it all.

 

Magnus made his way to the sofa, magicking himself and Alec mugs of hot Earl Grey, while the Shadowhunter took a detour to their bedroom to see if anything had changed.

 

“The demon’s body is still on the floor. It didn’t evaporate. I don’t understand it.”

 

“Call Cat and ask her to come. I think I’ll go and one-way soundproof the kids’ room.”

 

Alec nodded, taking the mug gratefully and sliding back into their bedroom, letting magnus do his magic, very aware it was more for his peace of mind than the kids’ comfort. Now that they were asleep again, there was little change anything short of a cannon shot would wake them up.

 

By the time Magnus came back Alec’s mug was half empty as he sat on the bed, looking at Cat who had managed to portal over already and was examining the demon’s body. 

 

Magnus sat next to him, putting his head on his shoulder and looking worriedly at the creature.

 

“Cat?” He turned to his friend. “Why didn’t it dissolve like all demons do?”

 

Catarina stood up and went to face them, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at them with furrowed brow.

 

“I’m not sure… I think…”

 

She looked at Magnus and tilted her head in surprise.

 

“When and why did you change you change your glamour?”

 

“What?”

 

Alec turned to look at his Magnus too at Cat’s words, quickly noticing what she meant.

 

“Cat’s right. You always glamour your eyes brown, they are green now.”

 

Magnus’ face was a picture of pure confusion.

 

“What are you two talking about? I don't have any glamour on right now, of course my eyes are yellowish green, it’s my mark!”

 

“No, Magnus, you don’t have the cat eyes now. They’re just normal green.”

 

Catarina’s eyes widened as she seemed to grasp what was still unclear to Magnus and Alec.

 

“Take your shirt off.”

 

Their heads both snapped to the petite woman at the weird command.

 

“What the hell, Cat? My fiance is sitting right here!”

 

“Magnus, I’m not going to molest you.  _ Take. Your. Shirt. Off. _ ”

 

Sighing, Magnus gave in and exposed his chest, causing Cat to smirk triumphantly.

 

“I knew it! I was right! You have a navel!”

 

“Cat, how much did you have to drink tonight? I don’t have a navel! I’m a warlock, it’s my second warlock mark…”

 

But Alec interrupted him, gently guiding his chin to make him look down.

 

At his navel.

 

He had a navel. What was going on?

 

“Cat?” His voice was high pitched and slightly panicked. “What’s happening?”

 

“Magnus, you know that demons don’t just vanish into thin air. They return into their home dimension.”

 

“Yes, well, this one didn’t. I am missing your point.”

 

There was something sympathetic but positive in Cat’s expression.

 

“Magnus, it didn’t return to its home dimension because  _ this is _ its home dimension. This is your demon, Magnus.”

  
“ _ What?! _ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Coming soon: Rafael's story about warlocks, angels and demons.


End file.
